07.11.19
Paramedic university degree to boost patient care
A university degree designed to further develop patient care and paramedic training opportunities will be available at five universities across Scotland.
The new Paramedic BSc degree was announced yesterday (7 Nov) by the Scottish Ambulance Service and aims to emphasise support for people with long-term and chronic conditions, mental health and minor illness.
Caroline Lamb, NES Chief Executive said:
“Paramedics are an increasingly important part of the mix of health and social care professionals. They’re not only a key profession in the ambulance service, but also work across all the other NHS boards as well, helping people with a range of conditions.
“Over the years, their educational opportunities have steadily expanded to match their growing role. Expanding their training to degree-level programmes reflects the reality of what they can expect to face in their daily roles, and will provide them not only with these skills, but wider professional opportunities as well.”
From September 2020 the degree will be delivered at Robert Gordon University, University of Stirling, Queen Margaret University, Glasgow Caledonian University and the University of the West of Scotland, giving students more localised training opportunities and a stronger understanding of patient’s potential needs.
Students can currently study for a Diploma in Paramedic Practice at the Scottish Ambulance Academy (SAA) and will continue to be able to do so until 2021.
The degree can also be studied on a part time basis to accommodate people’s different situations and will continue to provide SAA training for other positions within the service including Ambulance Technicians and Ambulance Care Assistants.
Pauline Howie, Chief Executive of the Scottish Ambulance Service said:
“We are absolutely delighted to work in partnership with these Universities – it is exciting to know they will be educating new generations of Paramedics who will enter the workforce armed with the latest skills and trained to the highest standards.
“These changes not only increase our capacity for training more Paramedics, helping us meet predictions for future demands of patients, but they support the delivery of integrated health and social care.”
Photo credit: Scottish Ambulance Service